Holdback



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G'. R. SKINNER.

HOLDBAGK IRON. No. 319,334. Patented June 2, 1885.

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GEORGE R. SKINNER, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

HOLDBCKHIRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part; of Letters Patent No. 319,334, dated .Tune 2, 1885.

Application led February 10, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. SKINNER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing in the city of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Holdbacklron, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to holdback-irons employed in connection with the thills of vehicles to receive the holdback-strap of the harness.

The object of this invention is to provide a holdback-iron to connect with the thills 0f a vehicle, and of a construction to readily receive and hold the holdbackstrap of the harness securely, but in a manner to permit the horse to run from the thills when from any cause he becomes detached from the singletree. To this end I have designed and constructed the holdback-iron represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an isometrical representation of a portion of a thill with my improved holdback-iron in place thereon. Fig. 2 is an under face view of my improved holdback-iron, and Fig. 3 is a lengthwise section on dotted line l on Fig. 2.

My improved holdback-iron, the subjectniatter of this specification, is preferably produced from cast-iron made malleable, and its base A is of plate form, fitted on its inner face with a stud, B, to enter a hole prepared for its reception in the under face of the thill of a vehicle, a portion of which is represented at C. I-Ioles D are formed in the end portions of the base-plate to receive screws to fix it in place on the thills. On the outer face of plate A is formed a holdback-hook, consisting of a hook-arm, E, substantially parallel with the base-plate,but suitably separated therefrom to receive the baokstrap by means of a base-sup port, F, connecting the rear end portion of the hook E with the base-plate. The base portion F in its connection with the base-plate is oblique thereto, inclined inward and rearward in the direction of the strain on the backstrap H, a portion of which is shown in position in the hook. The outer edge of the hook E is oblique to the plate, to more nearly coincide with the angle of the fold in the loop of the back-strap of theharness. A plate'spring, K, is placed between the hook-arm E and baseplate A, and its rear end is passed through an opening, L, formed in the base-plate, and a rivet, N, passed through the parts serves to fix the spring in place, and its forward end is supported to slide endwise in a keeper formed on or in the base-plate. The central portion of the spring is curved outward to engage the forward end portion of the hook-arm E in a yielding manner, to permit the passage of the back-strap onto the hook-arm. A v

My improved holdback-irons are produced in pairs, to be fixed to the under face of the opposite thills, and in use the holdback-strap of the harness in its looped form is passed onto the hook-arm over its forward end, under the curved spring, and back of its contact-point with the hook, in which position the spring serves to prevent its accidental displacement, but permits its withdrawal from the hook-arm when the horse is disconnected from the single-tree.

My improved holdback-irons will be found convenient in harnessing and unharnessing animals to vehicles, and when from accident the animal becomes disconnected from the singletree will be found an article of safety in permitting the animal to run from the thills.

I claim as my inventionl. The herein-described holdback-irou, consisting, essentially, of abase-plate and ataper hook having an oblique base-connection with the baseplate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A holdback-iron consisting of a base-plate and a hook connected obliquely to sai-d baseplato to afford an inclined seat for the holdback-strap, said base-plate being provided with a spring-opening and a depending keeper, and a spring whose free end is adapted to slide in said keeper, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE R. SKINNER.

YWitnesses:

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